Photocopy reroll assembly



0a. 22, 1968 BO ET AL 3,406,921

PHOTOCOPY REROLL ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1967 .vm w No ow o o Q 0 wv .ww ww mm ow v .o\ R on 9 INVENTORS Robert L. Boston Carl A. Roth ATTORNEY Oct. 22,1969 'R; L. BOSTON ETAL 3,406,921

PHOTOCQPY REROLL ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, mg

INVENTORS Robert L. Boston Carl A. Roth ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1968 R. L. BOSTON ET AL 3,406,921

PHOTOCOPY REROLL ASSEMBLY Filed March 30, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Robert L. Boston Carl A. Roth ATTORNEY United States Patent ()1 fice 3,406,921 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 3,406,921 PHOTOCOPY REROLL ASSEMBLY Robert L. Boston, Vestal, and Carl A. Roth, Apalachiu, N.Y., assignors to GAF Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 627,153 9 Claims. (Cl. 242-55) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a novel and unique receiving tray and re-roll assembly used in combination with a developing or reproduction apparatus. A receiving tray and roller assembly is attached to the apparatus and is adapted to receive lengthy sheets of originals emerging therefrom. The rollers are driven in a counter-rotative direc tion to the direction of motion of the sheets, thereby imparting a rolling-up motion to the originals without the necessity of manual handling.

This invention relates generally to improvements in receiving trays adapted to receive sheets emerging from a processing apparatus, and in particular, to a novel receiving tray and re-roll device adapted to conveniently roll up lengthy and cumbersome original sheets emerging from the processing apparatus.

In various prior art developing and reproduction machines, the imaged original being copied is conveyed through the apparatus. Generally, the original sheet is inserted into the processing apparatus through an aperture and subsequently is gripped by either conveyor rollers, conveyor belts or a combination of both. After the original sheet or master has been copied onto copy paper by any one of many well-known processes used in the developing or reproduction technology, the original sheet is conveyed, through the use of egress transport rollers or conveyor belts, to the exterior of the processing apparatus. As the original sheet emerges from the machine or processing apparatus, it usually is directed into a receiving tray, and subsequently is removed by the operator servicing the apparatus.

Although the utilization of such widely known receiving trays in connection with processing apparatuses are satisfactory for the reproduction or processing of relatively short or standard size originals, problems have been encountered when extremely lengthy original or master sheets are conveyed through the processing apparatus. Frequently, lengthy originals, such as, for example, tabulating sheets, computer rolls, tracings and others, must be conveyed through the processing apparatus in order to be copied onto copy paper. The lengthy original sheet, which is usually rolled up, may be placed on an infeed tray in proximity to the inlet aperture of the processing apparatus. The leading edge of the original sheet is then introduced into the bight between the apparatus infeed rollers or conveyor belts, whereby the original sheet is gradually unwounnd and drawn into the processing apparatus.

As the processed original sheet emerges from the processing apparatus or developing machine, it is conveyed onto a receiving tray and is then removed by the operator servicing the processing apparatus. Since it is rather impractical to provide extremely Wide receiving trays in order to receive a lengthy original sheet, it becomes incumbent upon the operator to manually roll up or fold the original sheet as it emerges from the machine so as to prevent it from overflowing out of the receiving tray onto the floor. Inasmuch as the operator may be occupied during this time in introducing this or another original into the machine, removing the copy paper, or simply servicing the machine, the necessity for manual handling of the original sheet as it is being conveyed into the receiving tray by the processing apparatus becomes a cumbersome task, diflicult, or at times, impossible to control.

The present invention overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages encountered in the prior art by providing a novel and unique receiving tray and re-roll assembly or device adapted to automatically roll up lengthy original sheets conveyed into the receiving tray by the processing apparatus or reproduction machine.

It is, accordingly, a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel receiving tray and re-roll as sembly in conjunction with a processing apparatus, adapted to roll up lengthy original sheets conveyed thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a receiving tray and re-roll device adapted to roll up lengthy originals emerging from the processing apparatus with said re-roll device being rotatively driven by said processing apparatus.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel receiving tray and re-roll device attached to the processing apparatus in an easily removable manner and adapted to be driven by the latter so as to impart a rotating motion to the original sheets emerging from the apparatus into the receiving tray.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, in section, of a receiving tray and re-roll assembly attached to a processing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the re-roll assembly of FIG. 1 with the receiving tray portion removed;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the re-roll assembly taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the receiving tray and re-roll assembly of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a receiving tray and re-roll assembly generally designated by reference numeral 10 attached to and in operative relationship with a photocopy processing apparatus generally designated by reference numeral 12, of which only pertinent portions are shown. The assembly 10 includes a main frame portion 14 and side wall members 16. Each of the side wall members 16 has upwardly extending recesses or notches 18 adapted to accommodate pin members 20, which protrude from the processing apparatus 12. When the assembly 10 is placed into operative relationship with apparatus 12, pin members 20 will fit rather snugly within notches 18, thus assuring an accurate fit between the assembly 10 and the processing apparatus.

A pair of parallel, spaced shafts 22 and 22. extend between side wall members 16 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and are rotatably journaled thereon. Each of the shafts 22, 22 has a plurality of spaced discs or rollers 24, 24' rigidly mounted thereon so as to be rotatable with the shafts. At one end of each of the shafts 22, 22' and interiorly of and adjacent to side Wall member 16, sprocket wheels 26 and 26' are mounted on the shafts. A further sprocket wheel 26" is rotatably mounted in co-planar spaced relationship to sprocket wheels 26, 26' on side wall member 16. An endless conveyor chain 28 is entrained about sprocket wheels 26, 26' and 26" to thereby place them in driving connection. In order to maintain the conveyor chain 28 in tension about sprocket wheels 26, 26' and 26", an idler roller 30 is rotatably journaled on side wall member 16 by means of a stub shaft 32. Suitable fastening means, well known in the art, may be employed to maintain the various shafts and frame members in their assembled relationship and are not in need of further detailed description.

Sprocket wheel 26 includes two parallel, spaced sprocket wheel portions integrally joined together for a purpose to be described further on in the description. The sprocket wheel 26" is rotatably journaled on a stationary shaft 34 positioned between and attached to side wall members 16.

A receiving tray member generally designated as reference numeral 36 is superimposed on the re-roll assembly, and includes a substantially V-shaped tray portion 38 adapted to cover the top of main frame portion 14. Each of the Walls of the tray portion 38 contains an elongate aperture 40 (FIG. 4) 40 located above shafts 22 and 22'. The apertures are dimensioned to permit the top portions of rollers 24 and 24' to protrude therethrough. The tray member 36 also includes depending side walls 42 and a front wall 44 which, when attached to frame portion 14, form a generally closed receptacle.

In operation, an original or master sheet to be reproduced, is placed on an inlet tray 45 forming part of processing apparatus 12. The leading edge of the original and a sheet of sensitized copy paper is introduced into the bight between infeed conveyor belt 46 and roller 48, and conveyed by the former about a drum 50 while in contact with a copy paper. Concurrently, the original and the copy paper are exposed to a light source 52 disposed within the drum. Subsequently, the original is separated from the copy paper in a manner well known in the art. The copy paper is then processed through the apparatus, whereas the copied original sheet is conveyed by a conveyor belt 55 toward rotating transport roller 54 and cooperating roller 56. The conveyor belt 55, which is driven by transport roller 54, conveys the original sheet to the exterior of the processing apparatus and along inclined wall portion 58. The components of the processing apparatus 12 herein discussed are merely described by Way of reference and do not constitute a part of this invention, it being obvious to one skilled in the art that other similar elements and components may be employed.

At times, when extremely lengthy original or master sheets are processed through apparatus 12, the receiving tray and re-roll assembly 10 is attached thereto, by sim ply positioning notches 18 in cooperative engagement with pin members 20.

An endless sprocket chain is driven by transport roller 54 and entrained about a spaced idler roller 62 rotatably fastened to the frame of apparatus 12. When assembly 10 is attached to the processing apparatus 12, the second sprocket wheel portion of sprocket Wheel 26 will engage sprocket chain 60, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Accordingly, as transport roller 54 rotates and the original sheet is being conveyed into the receiving tray and re-roll assembly 10, the sprocket chain 60 is driven by the transport roller 54 and in turn imparts rotation to sprocket wheel 26". As a result, sprocket wheels 26 and 26 are driven by means of chain 28 in a direction which is in opposition or counter-rotative to the rotation of transport roller 54.

The rotation of sprocket wheels 26 and 26, with the consequential rotation of rollers 24, 24' will impart a reverse rolling, or roll-up motion to the original being fed thereto by transport roller 54. This, in essence, will automatically roll up lengthy originals without manual manipulation, and as a result, will allow the operator to devote his attention to other machine operations or functions.

During periods when'only short original or master sheets are processed through the processing apparatus 12, receiving tray and re-roll assembly 10 may be removed by merely lifting the assembly out of engagement with pin members 20. If desired, an ordinary tray member or plate may then be substituted for the present device.

It should also be understood that the foregoing relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a processing apparatus for reproducing an original sheet being conveyed through said apparatus and which includes a conveyor belt adapted to convey said original sheet to the exterior of said apparatus, said conveyor belt being driven by a rotatable transport roller, the improvement comprising:

a receiving tray and re-roll assembly for receiving said original sheet from said conveyor belt and comprising a frame means detachably fastened to the exterior of said apparatus,

a first shaft including a roller means mounted thereon, said shaft being rotatably journaled on said frame means,

a tray member having a substantially trough-shaped portion including at least one aperture permitting a portion of said roller means to protrude therethrough, and

means interconnecting said transport roller and said shaft for imparting rotative motion to the latter and to said roller means in response to rotation of said transport roller, whereby said original sheet conveyed into contact with said roller means has a rolling movement imparted thereto.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the direction of rotation of said roller means is in opposition to the direction of rotation of said transport roller.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said roller means comprises a plurality of rollers positioned in spaced relation along the axial length of said shaft.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a second shaft having roller means thereon and being rotatably journaled on said frame means in parallel spaced relation with said first shaft,

said trough-shaped portion including two apertures in alignment with said shafts and permitting a portion of each of said roller means to protrude therethrough, and

means interconnecting said shafts whereby said shafts and roller means are adapted to rotate in unison in response to rotation of said transport roller.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the direction of rotation of said roller means on each of said shafts is in opposition to the direction of rotation of said transport roller.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means interconnecting said shafts comprises first and second sprocket wheels fastened to adjacent end portions of each of said shafts,

and an endless chain member adapted to drivingly engage said sprocket wheels.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 including a third sprocket wheel rotatably fastened to said frame means in co-planar spaced relation to said first and second sprocket wheels, said endless chain member being adapted to drivingly engage said first, second and third sprocket wheels,

and said third sprocket wheel comprising means adapted to engage said interconnecting means intermediate said transport roller and said shafts, so as to impart rotation to said shafts in response to rotation of said transport roller.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including:

a roller rotatably fastened to said apparatus,

said interconnecting means comprising an endless chain driven by said transport roller and engagingly encompassing said roller, and wherein said means on said third sprocket wheel includes a fourth sprocket wheel integrally connected thereto in parallel concentric relationship, said fourth sprocket wheel being References Cited adapted to engage said endless chain intermediate said transport and said roller to thereby impart rota- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion to said first, second and third sprocket wheels 1 662,577 3/ 1928 J h in response to rotation of said transport roller. 5 21573 188 10/1951 Dykem 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said appa- 2 632643 3/1953 E l 271 3 ratus includes a plurality of projecting pin members, and gan at a said frame means includes side walls, each of said side Walls having at least one notch therein, and said notches EVON C BLUNK, P i E i and pin members being adapted to interengage so as to 10 retain said receiving tray and re-roll assembly detachably R. J. HICKEY, Assistant Examiner. fastened to said apparatus. 

